Belt-tightener for traction-engines.



PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903.

H. G. CLAY. BELT TIGHTENER FOR TRACTION ENGINES.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 15; 1903.

N0 MODEL.

344 van/(oz I -Harry C.C1ay

Wane/Joe QMM'DQ,

UNITED STATES Patented September 8, 1903.

PATENT FFICE.

HARRY C. CLAY, OF COLUMBUS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO REEVES & COM- PANY, OF COLUMBUS, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

BELT-TIGHTENER FOR TRACTION-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,162, dated September 8, 1903.

Application filed June 15, 1903. Serial No. 161, l90. (No model.)

To all whom, it mag concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY C. CLAY, acitizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Bartholomew and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bclt-Tighteners for Traction-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

In the use of traction-engines for driving other machinery-such as separators, cloverhullers, &c.-the engine is backed into position, so as to draw the driving-belt which runs from the engine to the machine to be driven tight; but it is found to be quite difficult to produce proper tension in the belt in this way or to hold the engine in adjusted position.

The object of my invention is to produce means by which the traction-engine may be moved backward easily by hand-operated mechanism, thus enabling it to be adjusted while at work, such mechanism being also of a character to hold the entire engine in adjusted position.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is aside elevation of my improvements. Fig. 2 is a similar view on a smaller scale, showing its position of attachment and use; and Fig. 3 is an under side plan of the parts shown in Fig. l on a reduced scale.

In the drawings, 10 indicates the boiler of a traction-engine; 11, the rear axle; 12, one of the axle-bearings for said axle; 13, the main gear attached to the rear axle, (which may be of the usual compensating type, if desired;) 14,, a pinion meshing therewith; 15, a larger gear integral with or connected to gear 1a, and 16 a driving-pinion meshing with gear 15 and carried by the crank-shaft17, but capable of free revolution thereon, said pinion being connected in the usual manner to the crank-shaft by means of a removable pin 18, as is common and well known in the art.

Thus far the apparatus is common and well known, and of course may be varied as to number and character of gears, general arrangement, 850., without departing from my invention, which I will now describe.

Pivoted at 20 to the axle-bearing 12 or any other suitable part is a yoke or support 21, which is preferably bifurcated, and the arms of which extend past the axle-bearing, as shown in Fig. 3, and carry at their outer ends a bearing 22, in which is journaled the shaft of a short worm 23, said shaft being provided at its outer end with-a socket 24:, adapted to receive the end of an operating-wrench 25, which may be extended any desirable and suitable distance. In the construction shown in the drawings worm 23 is designed to mesh with the teeth of the gear 15 when yoke 21 is thrown out to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and when in this position the inner end of worm 23 abuts against a boss 12, formed upon axle-bearing 12, said boss thus receiving the thrust of the worm'when said worm is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Pivoted between the arms of yoke 21 is a latch 26, the inner end 26' of which is capable when the apparatus is swung to the position shown in full linesin Fig. 1 of dropping in above a finger 27, carried by the axle-bearing and extending out between the two ends I of the yoke.

in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l with worm 23 out of mesh with the teeth of gear 15, the device being supported in this position by means of a pin 28, which extends between the arms of the yoke and rests upon finger 27. In this position the end 26' of latch 26 is held against the end of finger 27 by the weight of the latch. After the engine has been backed into position as nearly as possible pin 18 (or the other means for connecting gear 16 to shaft 17) is disconnected, and the operator then inserts wrench 25 into socket 24 and lifts up upon the same, so as to swing yoke 2l-about pivot 20 and bring worm 23 into mesh with gear 15, latch 26 dropping into position, so as to maintain the apparatus in operating position. If the worm 23 is then rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, it will operate to turn gear 15 in the direction indicated by the arrows, and thus move the entire engine back ward, and during this operation the thrust upon the worm will be sustained by the boss 12, so that there is no stress upon pivot 20 or yoke 21. The worm 23 operates to hold the gearing in adjusted position and prevent any displacement thereof, and consequently serves to maintain the traction-engine in ad justed position, so that no chock-blocks are necessary in front of the wheels. Whenever it is desired to disconnect the apparatus, it is merely necessary for the operator to grasp latch 26 and swing the same upward, so as to withdraw end 26 from finger 27, whereby the device will drop to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and be held in position by pin 28, resting on finger 27.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with a'traction-engine and the driving-gearing thereof, of an adj usting-worm, suitable supports therefor, and means for swinging said adjusting-worm into or out of mesh with one of the driving-gears, for the purpose set forth.

2. A belt-tightener for traction-engines, consisting of a worm, a bearing therefor, and means for supporting said bearing whereby it may be thrown into or out of engagement with one of the driving-gears of the tractionengine.

Raise 3. The combination, in a traction-engine, and the driving-gearingthereof, of a pivoted yoke, a worm journaled thereon, means for holding said worm in engagement with one of the driving-gears, and a thrust-block for receiving the thrust of the worm in operation, for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with a traction-engine and the driving-gearing thereof, of an adjusting-gear, a suitable support therefor, and means for shifting said adjusting-gear into operative engagement with one of the driving-gears, for the purpose set forth.

5. A belt-tightener for vehicles, consisting of the yoke and bearing, a worm jonrnaled in said bearing, means for rotating the worm, and a latch for holding the Worm in operating position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Columbus, Indiana,this 10th day of June, A. D. 1903.

HARRY C. CLAY.

Witnesses:

HELEN J. HALBERT, BERTHA L. HARRISON. 

